The impact of MES digital technology on the digitalization of the quality management System (QMS): A case study

Abstract

The concept of Industry 4.0 involves the use of modern digital technologies for the radical transformation of products, services, processes, and people to improve the performance of work processes. The development of digital technologies in manufacturing, especially the implementation of MES (Manufacturing Execution System) as a digital technology in production, provides a strong impetus for the development of Quality Management Systems (QMS). The integration of MES and QMS systems creates the prerequisites for the digital transformation of quality management methods and techniques in production. Difficulties in creating an effective QMS using digital technologies lie in the lack of integration of modern quality management methods with existing software products. In most ready-made solutions, quality management (QM) is limited to controlling process parameters (heat, pressure, fluid levels...) and product quality in terms of monitoring the functional characteristics of products. In a digital QMS, it is additionally necessary to enable automatic registration and recording of process and product parameters with real-time data analysis in accordance with established procedures and instructions, and to provide the ability to influence and control the quality of the production process in real time. In this context, this paper aims to explore, through a case study in the production of cosmetic products, how MES digital technology impacts the digitization of the QMS and how it contributes to the digital transformation of the organization.